Social identity and group emotion: Media effects and support for military intervention

Seth Bradshaw, Kate Kenski

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study examines how news coverage of terrorist threats affects emotions that then shape support for antiterrorism policies, presidential approval, and attitudes toward Muslims. Using a national sample, news stories were experimentally manipulated to emphasize terrorist threats (high/low) and depictions of U.S. military strength (high/low). Results show that group-based anger-when people thought about themselves as Americans-mediated the relationships between threat coverage and antiterrorism policies, whereas group-based fear did not. On the other hand, group-based fear mediated the relationship between threat coverage and negative attitudes toward Muslims, whereas group-based anger did not. When people thought about themselves as individuals, neither anger nor fear mediated these relationships.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2535-2555
Number of pages21
JournalInternational Journal of Communication
Volume13
StatePublished - 2019

Keywords

  • Discrete emotions
  • Experiment
  • Group emotion
  • Media effects
  • Social identity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Communication

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